The Waynesville R-VI School District will limit parents to two bus pick-up locations in the morning and two drop-off locations in the afternoon, starting with the 2017-18 school year.

“This is a safety issue for us, especially at the elementary level,” said Dr. Chris Berger, assistant superintendent of operational services.

When a parent calls a school to switch a child from his typical afternoon drop-off location, a series of calls is initiated — from the secretary to the teacher to the transportation office to the bus driver.

“If there is a communication breakdown anywhere, this becomes a serious student safety issue,” Berger said. “We know this will be a change for our parents, but we hope they understand that our priority is child safety. Limiting the number of bus drop-off options to just two locations simplifies the process and narrows the possibility of confusion.”